Sign Language for Climate Change

TRANSCRIPT
Sign Language for Climate Change

NARRATOR:
Bridget Chanda lives in Zambia. She is 18 years old and a double amputee. She uses prosthetic legs. Walking can be painful, but her focus is on helping others. At her school, many students are deaf or hard of hearing.  Bridget is not deaf, but she learned sign language to communicate and make friends. Around the same time, people in Zambia were talking more about climate change. The weather is getting more extreme, and the government wants schools to teach students about it. Bridget decided to help. She wants deaf students to understand climate change, too, so she explains the lessons using sign language. Some climate words are hard to sign. But Bridget spells them to help others understand.

SOUNDBITE - Bridget Chanda: 
“So there are some words that I do just signing but there are other words that are difficult that I can't manage signing them. So if I can't manage, I just spell for them, then they will know what I'm talking about.”

NARRATOR:
Bridget also helps when experts visit. One day, a climate teacher showed how to use drip irrigation to save water. Bridget signed everything so her classmates could learn. She says it’s a way to give back.

SOUNDBITE - Bridget Chanda:
“There are some things that I don't manage doing. They do help me. Let's say for instance, fetching water. I can't fetch water, but as for them, they do help me. So I just have to return that favour to them.”

NARRATOR:
Bridget shows that when we learn to communicate in new ways, we can support each other — and share ideas that matter.